Beijing audiences are in for a magical summer with international magic acts and the 24th FISM World Championship of Magic (WCM) all heading to the capital.

David Williamson performing at the WCM 2009 launch. [CFP]

The National Convention Center will host the "Olympics of Magic" from July 26 to 31. The event is held every three years and this year is the first time that the competition is being staged in China, a developing country, since its founding 61 years ago.

WCM 2009 has attracted 2,300 magicians from 66 countries and regions. During the week, there will also be lectures, workshops and exhibits of magic props, all set to divulge the secrets behind the mystical art of magic.

Following the competition, a magic show "Supreme Magic" will be held from August 1 to 8 at the Beijing Exhibition Hall Theater. French magician Omar Pasha, Jorgos from Germany, Lennart Green from Sweden and another 10 former world magic champions will perform at the grand event.

FISM (Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques – International Federation of Magic Societies) was founded in 1948 and consists of over 82 clubs and federations that represent more than 50,000 magicians from 44 countries.

The magic arts committee under the Chinese Acrobats Association joined FISM in 2000 and won the bid to host this year's event in 2006, beating competitors Granada and Vienna.

To top off Beijing's magical week, China's renowned magician Liu Qian will stage a magic show on July 24 and 25 at the Beijing Exhibition Theater. A large-scale magic extravaganza, Magic of Franz Harary, will captivate the Workers' Gymnasium from July 31 to August 2.

(Global Times July 17, 2009)